Title: Off the Beaten Path
Author: MandereLee
Rating: PG – Due to the large number of authors participating in this event, rating is subject to change at any time.
Disclaimer: None of the authors taking part in this Round Robin claim to own Dragonball/Z/GT.
Summary: Round Robin. Gohan and Videl get lost in the woods, and Videl doesn't know about Gohan's powers! What's a demi-Saiyan to do? (donated by texaspeach)
Videl did not wake up the next morning.
Gohan was at first relieved to discover he had risen first by the breaking of dawn, as he remembered his concern about Videl finding out their sleeping arrangement. This morning, the rain had ceased, the grey clouds retreated to the west, and the sun welcomed them eagerly from the east.
He stepped outside the cave to roam the surrounding trees for something to eat. There was not much food to fill his stomach and hers; there were only berries and fruits of some kind, the same ones that they had been feeding on for a while. He thought about hunting, bringing back meat to the cave, but he thought that Videl might be opposed to such a thing, never having to eat something from a wild animal, and he would feel particularly bad about getting to eat meat himself without sharing it with her. Whatever he had gathered, he brought back the cave where Videl lay, beside the blackened and ashen wood that was their last night's fire. Along the way, he concentrated on the chis of their classmates and teachers to try and locate them, but he soon assumed that they were still asleep after he had not found a single trace.
By the time the sun had properly risen, he decided to check back on Videl to see how she was doing. He crouched down beside her slumped form and shook her.
"Hey, Videl. Wake up," he said. He shook her shoulders again, but it did not seem to affect her in the slightest.
It was here that Gohan began to realize that maybe something was not right. He placed a hand on Videl's forehead, and discovered that her fever had not eased during the night, but rather, gotten even worse.
"Shoot," he muttered. "This has gotta be the worst place to get a fever. I thought she was getting better last night."
Gohan thought that perhaps the cold that the rain had brought with it last night had worsened her condition, despite the warmth of the fire. And he also did not know if the fire had burnt for a long time unattended.
Gingerly, he picked Videl up and hurried over to a small lake that he had spotted while gathering some food. It was not too far away, but he still felt the need to fly there just to avoid wasting time that could spare Videl's health. He landed right by its banks and crouched down, his arms full of Videl, and scooped up some water from his cupped hands so that he could cool down her forehead. The water was fresh from the previous night's rainfall, and cold to the touch. He settled Videl down on the grassy bank, before pulling off a scrap of material from the bottom of his shirt. He dipped it in the lake, wringing out the excess water, and laying across her forehead, much like what he did last night.
This time, however, he found himself feeling rather anxious for her to wake up, despite what she might think. He wanted to reassure himself that this fever would not keep her unhealthy for too long. What would he explain to his classmates and teachers if they found out that the super hero of their city had fallen ill? To them, surely Videl was someone untouchable, unbreakable. All blame would fall on him!
He soaked the material again, before sweeping it across her face and neck, a gesture that he convinced himself was out of necessity, more than cheekiness. Although, he had to admit that pleasure was a side effect.
Slowly, her lids opened and she squinted up at him. Surprised by this reaction, Gohan stumbled backwards and stared openly at her.
"You're awake!" he exclaimed.
She blinked a couple of times, and managed to move her head in what seemed like a nod.
"How are you feeling?" Gohan asked again, and began to soak the small cloth in the lake.
"Alright," she muttered, but by her intonation and her raspy voice, he could tell that she wasn't.
"It's going to be okay," Gohan told her as he placed the cloth back on her forehead. "When the others wake, I'd be able to feel their chi and we'd go to them."
"I want to go home," she whispered.
Gohan nodded, and helped her sit up for a bit. "I'd love to take you home, but how are we going to explain that to everyone who thinks we've gotten lost in the forest? I think it'll be a good idea if we just return to our pack, wouldn't it?"
She didn't respond back, which caused Gohan to assume that she was feeling worse than she let on. The skin on her face was stained pinkish with the fever, but her eyes held none of her usual glint, and she remained slack within his arms.
Right then, he felt the first burst of tiny chi from one of their companions.
Beta'd by ShadowMajin (aka...ShadowMajin on DA)